That’s right. Sex is sacred. We should not play around with it. It isserious business, infused with a very serious mission. We should not trivialize it.

Of course, it is easier said than done. The naked truth is that givenour wounded condition and the current state of affairs, sex for mere pleasure exercises such tantalizing influence on all of us that we find it hard to resist its allurement.

Why, even highly respected people including some cardinals, bishopsand priests are accused of some sexual shenanigans. Of course, these are just accusations and allegations. We have to presume innocence of the accused until proven guilty. But that such accusations are made can only tell how problematic sex is to us.

Also, the other day, a niece of mine who works in a hospital wasdistressed in telling me that she had to handle a case of a 12-year-old girl giving birth. It’s now common among teeners to have boyfriends and girlfriends. We can only imagine the extent of this problem that is yet to be reported.

We cannot exaggerate the fact that nowadays, this problem regardingsex has become a real scourge and a case of infestation. Pornography is rampant and easily accessible. Sexual sins are not anymore confined in the mind and in the intentions. They are deeds and it seems that they have become the new normal. You meet at random a man in the street, and most likely he is afflicted with some sexual aberration.

This is the reality on the ground. Just the same, no matter how badthings look and actually are, there is always hope. We just have to be realistic in carrying out the duty of proclaiming the sacredness of human sexuality and of helping people in developing and living the virtue of chastity.

In this regard, we should try to explain with gift of tongue and inways adapted to the concrete conditions of the persons concerned, why sex is sacred. We should avoid doing it in such an idealistic way that would scare or turn off people rather than help them gradually not only to have a correct understanding of the nature and purpose of sex, but also start being serious in living a chaste life.

This is, of course, no easy task. We need to be tough, persevering andconstantly creative in carrying it out. There are many fronts to face. On one hand, we have to proclaim, to be positive, to highlight the beauty of sex according to God’s plan and its benefits to us if lived in true love and chastity.

On the other hand, we have to teach people how to defend themselvesagainst the temptations and how to handle their weaknesses. We have to be adept in teaching them the spiritual and supernatural means as well as the human means for this purpose.

We need to remind everyone that sex is part of our God-given natureand is entrusted with the most delicate and intimate mission ofcooperating with God in the creation of another person. Trivializingit and misusing it is actually an act of going against our nature. We dehumanize ourselves by doing so. By misusing it we become more like dogs than human persons.

The art of prayer and self-discipline, interior struggle and spirit ofmortification have to be taught. Frequent confession and regular spiritual direction, where brutal sincerity is a must, should be encouraged. All these done in a friendly and confidential manner.

Last but not least is the great help that a deep devotion to theBlessed Virgin Mary, the mother most chaste, can give us. The Marian devotion is a strong shield against sexual temptations.*